Russian oil producers have strengthened their position in Asia by supplying nearly a quarter more crude this year, shifting the balance of power in one of the few bright spots in the global market and blunting OPEC’s high-profile drive to win customers. Aided by a weak rouble and new pipelines, Russia has replaced Iran as a top five supplier to Asia, boosting sales 23 percent to 1.3 million barrels per day in the first 11 months of 2015 from a year ago, according to data compiled by Reuters based on trade flows and customs information. Russia’s share of the world’s biggest oil market has risen to 7.3 percent from 4.7 percent five years ago and shows how President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to court Asian countries such as […]